Refugee Biriyani & Bananas

Who we are

Refugee Biriyani & Bananas (RBB) was formed initially as a grassroots movement in response to the escalation of the Syrian refugee crisis in 2015. Cooking and distributing biriyani and bananas for all residents of the unofficial refugee camp in Dunkirk, Northern France. Since then RBB became an independently registered charity organisation in the UK in 2020 (No. 11819561), has helped approximately 84,000 people directly, has expanded its activities and services internationally, and is now in the process of an additional registration in Greece as a non-governmental organisation (NGO). 

RBB is:

• A female led project, spearheaded by a female founder and board of five Trustees.

• A community led project, with a field team and coordinators consisting of 80% people from the refugee and asylum seeking community, representing Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Palestine, Yemen, Sierra Leone and Gambia.

• Core team members, trustees, advisors with charity expertise and ambassadors from all backgrounds, including those with lived experience of displacement, members of the LGBTQ+ community & those in the global majority. 

RBB supports people with varying vulnerabilities worldwide through a holistic approach and the provision of specialised services; ensuring those receiving aid are involved in decision-making processes with our person-centred model of care. This may range from food distributions to providing medical assistance, referrals or campaigning for better global human rights.